Focus Piece: Rush for Guitar and String Quartet by Matthew Hindson
The result of the few drafts can be found below...
Draft #4: I've decided to present this information under the link 'Year 12 Music 2' on the website, as it is more convenient and straight-forward for students to have the information in one location, so I copied the resource I created below and added it to a separate link.
Draft #5 of the resource in the new location: I've added a section on Techno music and the relationship between this musical style and the composition of Rush.
The background and context of Rush by Matthew Hindson (1999)
Matthew Hindson is an Australian composer born in Wollongong, NSW in 1968. Hindson holds a MMus Melb BMus PhD and is the Deputy Dean at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Hindson's compositions have been performed by ensembles and orchestras throughout Australia and internationally, predominately by professional symphony orchestras and chamber groups.
His music often displays influences of popular music styles within a classical music context. The result of this is musical elements such as driving repeated rhythms and high dynamic levels, emphasising the directness and immediacy of his works.
"Matthew Hindson AM is one of the most-performed and most-commissioned composers of his generation."
The background and context of Rush -
- Rush for guitar and string quartet, 1999 (the version we will be studying)
- Rush for oboe and string quartet, 1999/2001
Matthew Hindson was commissioned in 1998 by Musica Viva Australia to compose a work for their 1999 season. Matthew was specifically asked to compose a piece for guitar and string quartet, of duration approximately ten minutes, to be performed by Slava Grigoryan (guitar) and the Golder String Quartet.
The inspiration for the piece came from techno and electronic dance music. This is evident in Rush, which as the title of the work suggests, has a strong sense of driving pulse throughout most of the piece. The role of the guitar in the work is largely to provide drive and a strong sense of rhythm. The piece is one of Hindson's most popular and commonly performed pieces.
Rush also incorporates many catchy and vibrant melodies, making the work accessible to a wide audience. Its playful nature can also be considered as a reflection of the indulgent nature of modern society, further emphasising the contemporary inspiration of this work.
In 2001, Matthew was asked to arrange the piece for Oboe (to be performed by Diana Doherty) and string quartet.
Reference List:
Australia, M. (2020). 'Rush' for oboe and string quartet. Retrieved 31 May 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnJbJSnU7fY
Hindson, M. (2020). Rush (1998) – Matthew Hindson. Retrieved 31 May 2020, from http://hindson.com.au/info/rush-1998/
Rush by Matthew Hindson. (2020). Retrieved 1 June 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9oO3l4m73M